Letters to the Editor - 5/20/2013

SUBMITTED PHOTO
The view in this area at Newton-Ransom Boulevard and Hillside Drive, near Clarks Summit State Hospital, is very difficult for motorists at night as two streetlights are inoperable, according to a letter writer.

Use referendums for costly projects

Editor: The new county park in Covington Twp. is a perfect example of why the proposed government study commission is necessary.

This park is just another in a long line of county boondoggles that waste tax dollars at a time when we are tens of millions in debt with no relief in sight.

What justification is there to have a park that at 400 acres is larger in area than the entire borough of Clarks Green? That's a lot of ball parks and walking trails, on top of all the recreation areas we already fund on the state, county, school district and municipal levels.

This tract was taken via eminent domain from private owners over 40 years ago. Since then it has sat off the tax rolls and undeveloped. Now we are expected to accept throwing even more money into a project that will serve how many people in any given year.

In recent years the county has been hard-pressed to maintain the Medal of Honor memorial on Courthouse Square, where the weeds have grown to be 2 to 3 feet high in a space of 100 square feet at most. How many new employees are going to be needed to maintain this new park with even the current facilities, let alone those in the works, at a time when the county has been laying off staffers due to budget constraints?

Under a new county government system and amendments to the Home Rule Charter we could have such discretionary projects put on a countywide referendum and let the taxpayers decide if such expenditures are desirable, or more importantly, even feasible.

Is it any wonder the current powers that be are so adamantly opposed to even allowing the study committee to be on the ballot?

DAVID KVERAGAS

NEWTON TWP.

Shifts in categories trigger reviews

Editor: Karl Rove ran a tax-exempt 527 group, American Crossroads, which he called a "grass-roots political organization." A 527 is an IRS classification for tax-exempt groups formed to elect or to defeat political candidates. Rove was embarrassed when disclosure laws revealed that 97 percent of the funding of his "grass-roots" American Crossroads came from a handful of billionaires.

In response, Rove formed Crossroads GPS (Grassroots Political Strategies) and applied to the IRS for a 501(c)(4) classification (so-called social welfare organization). Many tea party groups followed suit in order to hide their donors.

A 501(c)(4) does not have to disclose its donors and may lobby Congress on legislation. However, it is specifically forbidden to engage in electioneering. This is directly from IRS regulations: "The promotion of social welfare does not include direct or indirect participation or intervention in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office." Rove's group spent $70 million on attack ads in the 2012 elections, a direct violation of IRS rules for a 501(c)(4). That is what caught the attention of the IRS.

Since many other tea party groups had filed 501(c)(4) applications on Rove's heels, the IRS moved their files to the top of the stack, at worst an overzealous application of bureaucratic expediency. The IRS is required to review applications for tax exemptions and all would have been reviewed eventually.

Rove got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Alarmed at the prospect of losing his tax exemption, he is now complaining that the IRS is infringing upon his freedom to steal cookies.

These fraudulent "scandals" (Solyndra, ACORN, Benghazi, IRS) will continue to be thrown at us. It's our job as citizens to take a little time to determine the facts.

WAYNE WARNER

CLARKS GREEN

Strike up band

Editor: Kudos to this newspaper's editorial staff for its pioneering approach to the Your Opinion column, which recently introduced us to the innovative concept of "Musical Letters."

Well, I could have sworn I heard music while reading the May 8 contribution from a Moosic letter writer Moosic ("Liberty not free") that finished with the following rousing score that concluded an ardently anti-liberal, profoundly pro-gun missive:

"...from Bunker Hill to Pork Chop Hill, from the sands of Iwo Jima to the sands of Kandahar Province, from Cold Harbor to the Tonkin Gulf ... liberty is not cast in stone."

It was "America the Beautiful," "The Star-Spangled Banner" and the battle hymns of all branches of the U.S. military all rolled into one deafening crescendo. If I had known in advance, I would have dusted off my old Navy dress blues before I sat down to read it.

The only way to improve upon it would be for the voices of John Wayne and Gen. George Patton to emanate from the editorial page. I realize they are both long gone, but I can do a pretty mean impression of "The Duke" for only a nickel a word.

VINCE MORABITO

SCRANTON

Caped superhero?

Editor: The author of "Take as a Whole" (May 14) rhetoric should have raised a red flag for local law enforcement agencies for he stated unequivocally that he is a lunatic with a gun.

If that is not enough it is readily apparent that he receives his news of current events from pages 4 and 5 of the LifeStyles section of The Times-Tribune.

And to top it all off he seems to have a very bad case of vigilantism as he stated his only aim is to protect the American people. Do you think he wears a cape and a mask with a big "L" embroider on his forehead when he is going about his self-appointed task?

FRANK ESPOSITO

MOOSIC

Shed light

Editor: At the intersection of Newton-Ransom Boulevard and Hillside Drive, the latter which leads to the Clarks Summit State Hospital, the first two streetlights closest to the boulevard have been inoperative for over a year.

There are no other lights on the boulevard, so it is quite difficult for drivers to see this intersection at night until you are almost on top of it. These lights used to work but they have been in disrepair for some time. In the dark of night, especially when it is raining and/or foggy, the lack of light causes a potentially dangerous situation.

These lights need to be repaired.

JOE PALUMBO

NEWTON TWP.

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.